Why? The rules and regulations and precedents are clear. If it was a joke then the protest wouldn’t have succeeded.
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Well, Gryazin was on the podium I suppose and congratulated as the winner in the afternoon before the decision so it changes nothing in terms of PR, clearly not that point that could have had an impact on the judgement (and the claim was made later in the afternoon as evoked in the summary and probably wouldn’t have been made if the gap was bigger at the end of the rally).
Personally, I think the stewards had no other choice than accepting the request considering what happened in Ypres (all the more than the defender in Monte was the protester in Ypres if we think in terms of team).
Well, Toksport have paid to learn that when you open that type of dirty move (even if they were maybe pushed by Mikkelsen), it can backlash on you.
But the game is totally faked because if Gryazin had taken the penalty earlier in the rally (Saturday by night or Sunday in the morning), he would probably have pushed further on the last stages and I think he would have won.
Toksport have begun the dirty game, Citroen has taken its vengeance; let’s hope now that they will agree to stop this dumb game.
the rule is plain retarded... but to take advantage of it is a bit of alow blow...
how many seconds for this then ?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GxuyHq-kWVU
Well, what’s the point of this?
Maybe the rule needs some adaptation (however, it is still needed to avoid some specific cases) but the main issue is that competitors should respect the spirit of the rule by not making protests just because the gaps are close. And your video proves what is to respect the spirit of the rule (nobody puts a claim for this).
Issue is Toksport has opened in last Ypres a very dangerous process and Citroën Racing supported-team wanted to remind they can play this game also. Both moves were dumb and dirty, let’s hope now that they will stop this shit after this now that everyone knows the other one can reply.
Ypres stewards has a responsibility in this, they should have refused Toksport’s claim because it opens a very bad breach.
And in the last point of stewards’ decision, it is written «*following the precedents for the same offenses*»: well, pretty obvious way to refer to Ypres 2022 IMO.
This started in Monte 2021 against Toksport, check how long the penalty list was then:
https://www.ewrc-results.com/penalty...te-carlo-2021/
This situation shows - again - that the rules require amendment.
Crews should not be getting penalties for taking a line that is possible to drive. We are talking about rallying, not circuit racing. The idea of 'track limits', or that there should be a limit to how much of a cut may be taken, is bogus in this sport.
If the FIA or organisers want to restrict the lines which may be taken, they should place anti-cut devices or define what they consider to be the limit of the roadway. It should never, ever be open to interpretation. Anything not defined, either in the road book or by obstacles / markings put by the organisers, should be fair game - opportunities for switched-on crews to make an advantage.
Otherwise, we're applying a circuit-racing style rule in an environment nothing like a race circuit - what's the point of that?